An independent creator has halted their unofficial version of Zelda: Ocarina of Time after it was confirmed that Nintendo will release an official remake for the Switch 2 console this year. Followers of the project felt sadness at the news, although the developer made the already completed chapters available. For the public, this means they will be able to play an enhanced official version of the classic, though some will miss the artisan work of the fan.
The graphics engine left behind 🎮
The canceled project used a custom graphics engine that improved textures, lighting, and shadows of the original Nintendo 64 version. According to the creator, development had been ongoing for over two years and had reached 70% completion. The decision to stop it came when solid rumors about the official remake surfaced. The creator stated they did not want legal trouble and preferred that fans enjoy the authorized version. The available chapters include the first three temples with polished mechanics.
Nintendo: from hunting clones to creating remakes 🏢
It is curious that Nintendo, known for sending lawyers after any fan game, now decides to do itself what fans were already doing. It is as if the company had said: if you can't beat them, buy their idea and make it official. The funny thing is that the independent creator probably ended up doing the research and development work for free. Fans, for their part, are left with a bittersweet taste: losing a project made with love, but gaining a remake backed by the big N.